Field of the Invention
This disclosure relates a system and method of flowing fluids from a rotating opening. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a system and method for flowing fluids with an articulating and rotating spray nozzle.
Description of the Related Art
Tanks, vessels, and other surfaces routinely require cleaning and other maintenance. The challenge is to clean the surfaces of the structures sufficiently to accept the next process in minimal time and with minimal cleaning fluid. Current market trends demand minimal time and minimal expense. Current environmental trends demand minimal fluid usage. Current safety trends demand minimal entry by personnel into confined spaces. Enclosed volumes are especially challenging. The contours of the inner surfaces and restricted access of enclosed surfaces make a difficult job more demanding. Other constrained volumes include wells and pipes or tubing that may benefit from a fluid sprayed or otherwise flowed therein.
Prior efforts have attempted to solve the challenges of spraying fluids, such as for cleaning in enclosed volumes. Examples include U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,245,554, 3,420,444, 3,931,930, 4,056,227, 5,020,556, 5,217,166, 5,395,053, 5,896,871, 6,422,480, 6,561,199, 6,640,817, 7,300,000, Re. 36,465, and US Publ. No. 2006/0065760. Commercial systems are also available for review on the Internet and include: www.autojet.com/tankwash/reference.asp, www.gamajet.com/products/iv.html, and www.oreco.com/sw17371.asp. Most of the spray systems include one or more rotating nozzles about a longitudinal axis of the spray systems and many include telescoping the nozzle(s) into the enclosed volume. In some disclosures, the cleaning fluid is the driving medium for the rotation. In some disclosures, a nozzle is angularly fixed as it is rotated about the longitudinal axis within the enclosed volume. In some disclosures, the nozzles can be moved to different pitch angles and oscillate during the rotation, but are dependent on the rotation occurring to move the nozzle pitch angle. In some disclosures, the nozzle pitch angle may be independently controlled from the rotation.
A noted improvement in the technology is found in U.S. Pat. No. 8,181,890, entitled “Articulating and Rotary Cleaning Nozzle Spray System and Method” of the same inventors as the present invention. The system provides a rotating swash assembly that allows independent control of the nozzle pitch from the nozzle rotation and supplies a fluid through the same apparatus used to rotate the nozzle. Despite the significant improvement in the field, the relative complexity of the structure may limit the reduction in size for smaller volumes, and suitability for certain applications.
Therefore, there remains a need for a different control system and method for an articulating and rotary spray system for fluids.